Hey, did you hear the news, Apple owns Beats now. OK, so it's not exactly new news, it happened years ago, but it's still a pretty big deal, and important for what we're going to say next. The first wave of post-Apple takeover headphones have dropped, finally, with the Beats Powerbeats 3 acting as the sports-friendly, wireless in-ear siblings to the Beats Solo 3 Wireless cans we loved so much.

They might look similar to their predecessors and sound near enough the same, but thanks to Apple there's some impressive new tech inside that put these streets ahead of their predecessors, the much-loved PowerBeats 2s. Is this enough to make these £169.95 headphone a must-own though? We put them to the test to find out.

Apple might be the king of design, but they haven't sprinkled much of their magic dust over these Beats audio enablers. Compared to past Powerbeats, the new headphones barely look any different. That's not a bad thing though. As well as being an easy on the eye fashion statement, these are some of the most comfortable in-ear headphones we've used. Whether you're strolling down the street, sat at a desk or running through a forest, the flexible ear hooks - which aren't troubled by glasses arms - and soft silicone tips combine to offer a fit that's near enough faultless.

When running, the ear pods are snug, comfortable and don't bounce around. As the driver housings are about the size of a small USB drive attached to each ear, just a damn sight better looking, you forget they're there, which is ideal for a long distance training session. The neck cord can bounce around and be a bit annoying, but find the right tightness for you and you'll never notice it again.

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Just because they look familiar doesn't mean they're completely lacking design updates, either. The body is actually marginally bigger than past models, although you'll struggle to notice the added millimetres. What you will notice, however, is the lack of a fiddly rubber charging port cover. Cleaning up the look while also removing irritations, it's trip to the chopping block is a welcome one.

What's more, whether you want to be bold or behind the scenes, there's a colour scheme to suit your style. There are currently five hues to choose from with white, black and blue options joining a red pair. It's the yellow set, which pair a sleek matt black body with bright yellow accents, that's our favourite though. They just look and feel sporty. The standard black models will go with more, but the yellow units will get you noticed.

Finishing off the finish, the Powerbeats 3 play host to an in-line mic and volume controls, these give you command over your music while keeping your phone in your pocket. As is now the norm, volume up/down toggles sit either side of a play/pause button that, if given a quick double tap, can also be used to skip tracks.

Sound quality hasn't always been Beats' strong suit. Things have improved since the early days though. The on-ear Solo 3s now offer impressively accomplished sound, and the Powerbeats 3 are following hot on their heels. Are they perfectly balanced? No, but that doesn't mean they don't still sound great. It all depends on the music you're in to.

As has always been the case with Beats, bass is boss. This creates a rich sound that although occasionally compromises on the vocals and high-end, really accentuates the beats of pop, R&B and hiphop tracks. It's almost become the new accepted sound and, yeah, it sounds good if not traditionally on-point. If you want to mix up your listening with a bit of classical music, these probably aren't going to be for you. If you're addicted to Apple Music's weekly discover playlists though, then the heavy sound of the Powerbeats will play to your tastes.

What really impresses with these headphones, is that you can properly crank up the volume without any distortion creeping in. They are capable of seriously loud listening. And we mean properly loud. If you want big, punchy sounds, these will leave you with a big ol' smile plastered across your face.

There are shortcomings though, Unlike some high-end in-ear headphones, such as the brilliant Bose QC30, there's no noise cancelling. Sat on a train or a plane this can mean the outside creeps in, and escaping people's inane chatter means pushing the volume to painful levels. A largely snug, secure fit can put you in a decent bubble of isolation, but when running, a bit of wind noise can creep in to compromise sound.

Apple might not have revolutionised the Beats look or sound. What the iPhone giant has done though, is potentially more impressive. Having squeezed in its new W1 chip, Apple has massively extended both the Bluetooth range and battery life of these wireless headphones. OK, so it might not sound like the most glamorous addition, but it's one that makes an impressive difference.

Not only is the Bluetooth range now excessive - you can leave your phone on your desk while nipping to the loo or even on charge indoors while chilling in the garden, without having to pass up on continuous tunes - but the battery life is without rival on a pair of headphones with such a small form factor.

Seriously, we can't overstate this enough. Compared with past Powerbeats, the PowerBeats 3 battery life has doubled. Capable of going 12 hours between charges, these headphones are battery sipping wizards. Sure, this pales with the 40 hour staying power of the on-ear Beats Solo 3 Wireless, but for their size, it's witchcraft.

That's not where the benefits end, either. When you do need to recharge, just 5-minutes connected to the mains will give you an hour of go. This is perfect when you realise they've died and your gym session just won't wait.

Verdict: A coming of age for Beats headphones

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After a pair of run-friendly headphones that look and sound good enough to become your daily audio enablers? Stop looking, you've found them. The Beats Powerbeats 3 might not change the world when it comes to sound quality, but as an overall package, they're a damn fine offering.

Yes, they're built for fitness, but they're so much more than a pair of running headphones. They are a comfortable fashion statement. One that will offer solid sound for the masses and is untouched on battery life. Yes, £169.95 is expensive, but don't see these as just another pair of headphones. See them as the only pair of headphones you need.

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